Year One: Acute and Critical Care course

Applied physiology of acute and critical illness – 20 credits
This module looks at critically analysing the impact of pathophysiology on acute and critically ill adult patients and to understand altered physiology. You will explore the consequences of acute and critical illness on homeostasis using a wide knowledge base of normal and altered physiology to understand key treatments. The module will also focus on cardio-respiratory physiology, neurological control and acute medical conditions.

Care and management of the acute and critically ill – 20 credits
You will critically evaluate the complexity of care issues in relation to acutely and critically ill adult patients and analyse the context of that care. The effectiveness of care implementation across a range of patient presentations will be analysed with consideration given to the processes of assessment, monitoring and intervention.

Legal and professional issues in caring for the acute and critically ill – 20 credits
In this module you will undertake a critical evaluation of service delivery systems from legal and professional perspectives. This includes the right to health care; upholding human rights; duty and standards of care; professional negligence and the application of these to professional practice in acute and critical care contexts. Topics such as life and death, euthanasia, legal definitions of death, organ and tissue donation are also considered in terms of the implications on practitioners caring for acute and critically ill patients.

Year Two: Acute and Critical Care course

Psychological consequences of acute and critical illness – 20 credits
The psychological implications of acute and critical illness can be seen as secondary to assessing and managing the physical needs of your patients. In this module we discuss and debate some of the psychological consequences faced by patients, relatives, and you as healthcare practitioners.

Practice-based dissertation – 40 credits
You will choose a topic related to acute or critical care and undertake a literature review up to 12,000 words.

You will study through a mixture of lectures, group work, patient scenarios, interactive tutorials and seminar presentations. You will attend the University one day a week. First year students are taught on Fridays 9am-5pm and second year students are taught on Thursdays 9am-5pm.

Modules are assessed through a practice-based dissertation, multiple-choice questions, viva voce, OSCEs (Objective Structured Clinical Examinations) and written evidence of personal and professional development.

The OSCEs will take place in May each year and be completed as part of the Care and Management of the Acute and Critically Ill module and involve undertaking a comprehensive patient history, examining a particular bodily system, and identifying a management and treatment plan for the individual.

Assessments

Year One

Applied physiology of the critically ill 
One hour MCQ (March)
Two-hour short answer paper (April)

Legal and professional issues in caring for the critically ill
Viva based on assignment (May)

Care and management of the critically ill 
OSCE s (Objective, Structured Clinical Examination) – 10 minute primary assessment and 25 minute clinical assessment specific to your role (May)

Year Two

Psychological Consequences of acute and critical illness 
Poster presentation with mock practice (March)

Dissertation
Clinically relevant evidence based exploration of an agreed topic (May)